Thoughts of Shouting
by Jousting Elf with a Sabre
Summary: Part of the Multiverse Kiss the Girl Series. W/OC. Kaydie Lennox can read minds, Warren knows this. But he keeps on shouting...


Here I am again, posting outside my fandom. I've actually had this on my computer for a while, but I'm trying to get into a habit of letting anything I write sit on my computer at least six months just so I can get a clear look at what it really is...

Anyway, Enjoy!

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><p>She was looking at him again. Her deep blue eyes looking him over carefully, as if pondering every little thing about him. It wasn't as if this wasn't normal. Kaydie was known for looking at people like this. However, considering she had the powers of telepathy and telekinesis, he wasn't sure he wanted her staring at him.<p>

Not that she was dangerous. Warren knew that she was pretty much the nicest kid on the planet, and most of what she used her powers for was catching stuff when she dropped them, catching herself when she fell down, and helping people with stuff that needed lifting. To tell the truth, he wasn't sure if she used her telepathy, or if she did, she was the best secret keeper ever. Suddenly Medulla made something explode at the front of the class and every pair of eyes was riveted on the Mad Science teacher, and remained there as he taught for the rest of class.

After the bell rang and Mr. Medulla dismissed them, Warren grabbed his books roughly and stalked out of the room, ignoring the few scared looks of the freshmen as he passed by. He didn't even notice that he'd dropped his novel before it floated around in front of him. Cautiously, he hesitantly took it from mid air, expecting the invisible kid from third period to mystically appear in front of him. He didn't, but a soft voice spoke behind him.

"I didn't know you liked Shakespeare." He turned around. Kaydie Lennox stood in front of him, clutching her books to herself nervously, her eyes darting around, not quite comfortable to be in his presence.

"I thought you were the one who could read minds." He said. She blushed.

"Well, I can, but, you know, it seems kind of rude, you know, to go poking around in peoples' private thoughts." She said. Glancing up to meet his gaze. He hadn't realized how short she was. From a distance she didn't look so…small. He waited to answer, her nervousness and anxiety mounting.

"Rude, huh?" He asked. She breathed out, quietly but noticeably, and a small smiled crossed her face.

"Well, yeah. Kind of like reading someone's journal." She said. He thought for a minute. "So, then, theoretically if you got someone's permission, it would be okay?"

"It depends on the thoughts. If they're going to fill my head with trash I wouldn't want to, but…yeah." She cut herself off. "Well, we're going to be late to our next class. We're studying wardrobe today," She said, turning to leave. He paused before calling after her.

"I'll be there in a minute. Thanks for my book!"

* * *

><p>A week later.<p>

She was sitting in front of him today, paying close attention to Mr. Medulla, even though he'd already been speaking for forty-two of his allotted forty-five minutes. He couldn't help it. Now it was him staring at her, trying to figure her out. It was a week since she'd given him back his book. A week since she had spoken to him last. Not that he had tried to talk to her or anything. No one really…sought out her company. Though it was known that she'd never read anyone's mind without their permission, no one really, well, took her seriously. He wondered if that was a mistake.

People generally avoided him because they were afraid him, and given his detention record, they had a good reason to be. But Kaydie, on the other hand…well, he didn't think she'd even been tardy to a class, or missed a chance to help other people, but her powers were such that no one ever really felt…comfortable around her.

Kaydie suddenly stiffened and slowly turned around. Right before she met Warren's eyes, though, she stopped herself, seemingly forcing herself to remain looking forward. One minute and twenty five seconds later, right on schedule, the bell rang, and Kaydie shot out of her seat, and bolted for the door. Warren was stymied. It didn't make sense, unless…

Confound it.

Unless she heard his last thought. Especially out of context, it seemed heartless. Scooping his bag off his desk he rushed after her.

"Lennox! Lennox! Kaydie!" She stopped cold in the middle of the hallway.

"What, Warren?" Her voice was harsh and clipped. His forehead wrinkled in consternation.

"What's up? You just stormed out of Mr. Medulla's class without even stopping to thank him? What's wrong?"

"You should know, you thought it!" She shouted and then turned, storming down the hallway to their next class. He stood there, staring after her, his mind absolutely blank for a full five seconds before a single word filtered into his head.

_Shoot._

He chased after her, "Kaydie! Stop!" He ran after her, grabbing her arm, whipping her around. She wrenched her arm away.

"No! What makes you think that you can speak to me? I never want to speak to you again! I can't believe - " She stopped, looking away, gathering her composure. "Just leave me alone, Warren." She said, pulling her arm away gently, but not walking away.

"Why?" His voice was very low. She looked down, and then looked back up at him.

"Bus stop on 53rd street. Four thirty. Be there." She said shortly, then walked around him, to their next class.

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><p>He walked toward the bus stop. He didn't see her, but nevertheless kept walking toward the bus stop. Once there, he checked his watch. 4:25. Shrugging, he sat down on the bench. He was there two minutes before he heard a voice behind him.<p>

"I thought you wouldn't come." He looked behind him. She wasn't there. Then he looked up. She was in the tree above the bench. Calmly, she jumped down, somehow slowing right before she hit the ground and then turned to face him.

"Why wouldn't I come?" He asked.

"I wasn't exactly very kind when I talked to you last."

He grunted, and shrugged. Her expression hardened slightly. Warren cleared his throat. "So, why do you want me to leave you alone? I'm presuming that's why you wanted me to come here today." He asked. She sighed, looking down, the corners of her mouth drooping slightly.

"I don't know... First I wanted to kick your sorry behind into next Tuesday. Then I wanted to apologize. And now…" She trailed off, sighing again, and sat down on the bench beside him.

"And now?" He prompted. She turned her head in a slow, slightly jerky movement, before she turned her back to the front.

"I don't know. That's why I thought – well, hoped, really – that you wouldn't come. I just don't know what I would say that would help anything." She said, tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear. Warren looked away from where he was watching her, leaning back a bit and thinking for a moment.

"Maybe you could tell me why you were annoyed this afternoon." He suggested. She looked at him, and then scoffed lightly.

"Warren, that won't help anything. If I just leave it be-"

"Why won't it help? Doesn't talking about it usually help? Well, so I've been told. Generally only Hippie unloads on me, but she never seems to have any problems…" Warren trailed off. Kaydie smiled.

"Layla has a plane of existence and a view of life that most people would sell their souls for. She's one of the few people who have really stuck around me… through everything." She said, the last few words simply whispered.

Warren held his breath for a moment, before tentatively saying, "One of the people who has always felt… comfortable around you." Kaydie sighed, sadder and deeper this time.

"Yeah." She said, the corners of her mouth turning even more down. Warren paused, thinking about what to do next. Here was one of the nicest, best young ladies in the world, feeling unloved by most people around her, because of a power she tried hard to keep under control. What else could he do? Slowly, tentatively, he put his arm around her. Her head dipped lower, before her shoulders started shaking.

Great. Warren grimaced a bit, before putting his other arm around her, pulling her toward him. She leaned toward him, and rested her head against his shoulder, tears starting to flow, hard. Warren just held her for a long time in the cool autumn air, thinking of something – anything – to say, to make the tears stop, to genuinely make her feel better. But he couldn't think of anything. Nothing. Nothing except, "I'm sorry." But for some reason, he couldn't say it aloud. So, instead of saying it, he repeated it in his mind, over and over, hoping beyond hope that she could hear him.

Her tears slowly subsided. After a few more moments all that was left of her tears was the slight hiccupping gasps that followed a good cry. Then, after a few moments, she stirred in his arms.

"Hey, Warren? I'm sorry, but I need to go. I promised my mom I'd be home by five." She said, starting to stand up.

"All right." He said, standing up as well. She started to walk away. When she was about twenty feet away, she turned around.

"Hey, Warren?" she said. Warren looked up at her.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay," She said, a small smile sneaking up onto her cheeks. He tilted his head to the side.

"You could hear me?" He asked. She shrugged.

"You were shouting. I hear people best when they want me to hear," She said, sticking her hands in the pockets of her jacket. She fidgeted for a moment. "Well, I'll see you in class tomorrow, then," She said. He nodded.

"All right, then," He said. She smiled and turned to go. "Hey, Kaydie?" He called after her. She turned, this time her head tilted to the side.

"Yeah?"

"I'll save you a seat in Mad Science tomorrow," He said. She smiled, her white teeth flashing.

"I'll see you there."

* * *

><p>Six months later<p>

The school Cafeteria

"No, the photon crystal doesn't go there, it would make the heat ray explode! Come on, for the heat ray, it does ninety degrees lower, other wise the laser beam overheat, and it'll blow up in your hand," Kaydie said, showing him the diagram for the millionth time.

"I get the deal with the heat ray, Kaydie. Can we get onto the unit for exploding substances? Don't say it," He said as she opened her mouth, "I know that if you put the heat ray gun crystal in the freeze gun position it will explode. I did, in fact, get that question on the test right. It was Hippie that had a problem with that one." He gestured over at the exuberant redhead, eating her salad while talking to Magenta and Will about the Prom the next month.

"You made the mistake two minutes ago when you were reciting it from memory," She said nonplussed. Warren almost took the bait. He knew she was just ribbing him, plus the combination of nerves from the exams in the next few weeks. He gave her a dazzling smile, and then tucked himself back behind his Shakespeare book.

"It's good to see you in a good mood, Kaydie," He remarked in an overly cheerful voice. She paused, then smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Warren."

"No problem." He said, glancing up quickly to give her a slight smile.

"Warren!" Layla's perky voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up.

"Hippie!" He replied perkily, with a slightly mocking imitation of her tone. She laughed.

"Warren, we were just wondering who you were taking to Prom this year," She asked. Warren froze. Kaydie tilted her head to the side and looked at him, a look of intense curiosity on her face.

_Shoot. Bananas, bananas, bananas, bananas, bananas…_

"Warren, why are you thinking about bananas?" Kaydie asked. He looked up guiltily.

"Was I?" He asked, his tone neutral. She shrugged.

"You were shouting," She said like this was obvious. His thoughts raced for something else to come, something plausible that she might want to believe.

"Oh – bananas. My mom wanted me to pick some up for her on the way home from school. Are you sure you can't pick up the subconscious?" Her look was anything but believing, but then she shrugged. Looking down for something to eat, Warren found that he had either eaten or crumbled everything on his plate.

Confound. Time to drop the bomb. He looked up.

"I'm off to class. See you there, Kaydie." He said, locking eyes with her. Then, as clearly as he could, he thought toward her: _Meet me outside the front entrance in five, okay?_

"Okay," She said, nodding with understanding. Then he headed off toward Mad Science, doubling back after a minute to make his way to the front entrance.

She was there waiting for him, her hands in the pockets of the fitted sweater that she wore. He walked up to her, and gestured, as if to suggest they start walking. She took his lead, and they started walking along the lawn.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" She asked. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Erm, well…" He just couldn't spit it out, could he? He fumbled on, her patient expression never faltering. Then he steeled himself, and just spit it out.

"Kaydie, I'd like you to go to Prom with me." He grit out.

"I know." Her voice was quiet and tentative. He was taken aback.

"What? You do?" He said, stopping and taking her in, studying her face carefully. Her calm, shy expression did not falter.

"Warren, you tend to shout when you think. I've known ever since the December Holiday dance. I knew what you were going to talk to me about when you pulled me away from the others today." She stated, matter-of-factly. He shook his head.

"Then why did you make me – All that – I mean, rather traumatic…" He was coming across as anything but manly, but when his thoughts finally cleared, and he stopped talking, she answered.

"I waited, Warren, because I wanted you to ask. I wanted to really hear it, not just in my thoughts. It's important to me," She said, shifting, "Mom hardly talks to me because she assumes I can hear her thoughts. Daddy always thinks 'I love you, sweetie' to me every night because he doesn't feel comfortable saying it to my face. Like it's awkward or something. I waited, because the guy who will get up the nerve to ask his girl of choice to the prom, even when he's kind of scared, is the one to go with."

Warren, embarrassment dispelled, at least for now, thought for a moment, and then spoke. "Well then, Kaydie, will you go to the Prom with me?" She smiled, a beam of pure joy shining in her countenance.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Prom<p>

They walked toward her front door, shivering slightly in the unseasonably cool air. As they reached her porch, they stopped. She was the first one to speak.

"Warren, thank you so much. I had a wonderful time," She said, a gentle smile crossing her face. It was almost one in the morning, and she was exhausted. She'd never taken Warren for much of a dancer, but there was apparently three years of swing dancing that she had never heard about. Well, what did she expect? The guy read Shakespeare. "We should do this again." She remarked quietly. He smiled, shuffling a bit.

"Kaydie?"

"Yes, Warren?"

He paused, feeling like a loser. He couldn't believe he was going to ask this. Maybe he could change it…

"Warren?"

"Kaydie, hypothetically speaking, do you think that if a guy asked a girl if he could kiss her, that she would respond favorably?" He asked, his air rushing out as he spoke quickly. She thought for a moment, her lips pursing lightly. Then the small familiar smile quirked up on her cheeks.

"I think if I were this hypothetical girl…and you were the hypothetical boy…I would respond favorably," She said, a fuller, deeper smile spreading across her face. His smile matched hers as he leaned in. She met him halfway, smiling into the kiss. As they broke apart he rested his forehead against hers.

"Kaydie Lennox, you are one of the best people on this earth. And I mean that with all my heart." He whispered to her, his eyes closed. She looked up at him.

"And you, Warren Peace, are one of the kindest, and most comforting people on this earth." She whispered, "I have never felt so… good in my life," She said. They locked eyes for a moment longer, savoring the moment.

"Me too." He whispered. She smiled and looked away, "But don't let it leak to the freshmen. It'll ruin my reputation forever." He added, his voice slightly rough.

She laughed and embraced him. As he held her in his arms, he smiled, and he thought how much he loved the girl in his arms.

"Hey, Warren?"

"Yeah?"

"You're shouting again."

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><p>Well, there you are!<p>

I hope you enjoyed it!

~Sabre


End file.
